Signature-collecting mechanism.



1. 0. THEBERATH. SIGNATURE COLLECTIIIIJG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. I914.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WWW/017W .f/m 2/42 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0. WASHINGTON. D, c.

J, C. THEBERATH.

SIGNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 3.914.

1,149,546. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

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, COLUMBIA PLANuuRAPM cm. WASHINGTON. n. c:4

.l. C. THEBERATH.

SIGNATURE COLLECTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAYT, 1914.

1,149,546. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3Q COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH COuWASHINGTON. n. c

UMTED TATES PATENT @FFQEQE.

JOSEPH C. THEBERATH, 01? LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD '10 EDWARD SHARP AND ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM D. GRAPE, BOTH 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SIGNATURE-COLLECTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 10*, 1915.

Application filed May 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH C. THEBERATH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lakewood, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and .use-

. ful Improvement in Signature-Collecting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, soas to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements relating, as indicated, to signature collecting or gathering mechanism, have particular regard to the provision of an improved signature stuffing machine that will be adapted for use in collecting the parts of newspapers and the like. Particularly in connection with the getting out of Sunday editions, a considerable labor cost is involved in bringing the various sections of the paper together.

It is not meant to imply by the foregoing that the. present improved mechanism may not be utilized in other connections, either for nesting or stuiiing together the various forms of folded sheets of which books, pamphlets and the like are composed, or to stack such sections in a pile, one above the other, as the case may be.

The present invention, then, consists of the meanshereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved mechanism with the parts shown in initial or starting position; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a later operative stage; Fig. 3 is also aview similar to Fig. 1, but showing a still later operative stage; Fig.4 is a front elevational view of the mechanism as indicated by the line l i, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a of the same parts as indicated by the line 8-8, Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a. sectional view of yet another detail of the mechanism.

Assuming that it is a newspaper composed of several sections that is to be assembled by the mechanism, the sections A and A will be preliminarily folded and stacked insubstantially horizontal position on elevator tables 1 and 2, respectively. These tables are guided in the frame 3 of the machine so as to move verticallyand are designed to be raised gradually in any suitable fashion so as to keep the upper surface of the stack in approximately the same horizontal plane and thus on a proper level with respect to the various operating parts of the mach-inc.

The arrangement of screws 1 and 5 with bevel gears 6, 6 and 7, 7 connecting the same with drive shafts 8 and 9, may be considered merely typical, since any arrangement, gravity or otherwise, that will accomplish the result just stated, will be equally satisfactory.

The uppermost sections or signatures a and a of each stack are pressed against stops consisting in each case of a pair of transversely disposed bars 10 and 11 supportedfrom an arm 12 that extends longitudinally across the elevator table, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The outermost bar 10 is resiliently connected with the arm by means of compression springs 13, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so that if either of said arms is rocked so as to slightly raise their outer ends in thefashion presently to "be described, these outermost bars 10 will remain in more or less forceful contact with the stack, while the inner bars 11 are slightly lifted from the stack. To permit of such oscillation of the arms, their inner ends are \pivotally attached at 1ft to a plate-like porand the innermost pressure bars, each arm is provided with a downwardly pro]ect1ng.p1n

16. that isadapted to be engaged by the upper edge of a segmental cam 17, as the latter is rotated by a vertical supporting shaft 18. This shaft, which is intergeared with the driving shafts 8 and 9 for elevating the tables 1 and 2, as shown inFigs-i and 5, is vertically disposed, being journaled at its upper end in the plate 15 and at its lower .end in suitable bearings 19 at the base of the machine frame. Said shaft may be driven in any suitable manner, as need not be explained in detail.

In addition to the segmental cam 17 which is supported as just described on this shaft near its upper end, such shaft also supports a disk-like member 20 on which are mounted various operative parts, and below such disk is fixedly supported, as by bars 21 (see Fig. 7), a second cam in the form of a plate 22 having an eccentric groove 23 in its upper face which serves to actuate such operative parts. The latter comprise a sword or finger 2a pivotally attached at 25 to the under side of the disk 20 near its edge, and freely swingable in either direction about its axis, save as limited by a supporting bracket 26 secured to the disk 20 and against which said finger normally rests in the position of parts shown in Fig. 1.

To oscillate the finger, a gear 27 is mounted on the'under side of the same disk 20 which supports said finger, such gear meshing with a pinion 28 fixedly secured to the inner end of the finger, and being provided with a rocker arm 29, the free end of which carries a roller that travels in the groove 23 in the cam plate 22. As a result of the foregoing construction, as the shaft 18 rotates, carrying with it the disk and attached parts, the rocker arm 29 trailing the roller 30 in the groove of the cam plate, is oscillated and communicates such oscillation with multiplied effect through the gear 27 and pinion 28 to the finger 24. The form of the groove is such that with the disk and other parts in the angular position about the shaft axis shown in Fig. 1, the finger is entirely retracted, but further rotation of the shaft and disk in the direction indicated by the arrow in said figure, will cause the finger to be projected from the disk 20 in a direction substantially alined with the retracted position shown in Fig. 1. The result will be to insert such finger between an appropriately disposed section or signature a on the top of the stack A on the adjacent elevator table 1. The continued rotation of the disk is then designed to carry this finger with the signature thus engaged through the arc of a circle until the second stack A is reached, where the first signature will be inserted or stuffed into the topmost signature a on said second stack, the latter being appropriately disposed and open for this purpose. A stationary table 31 is located between the two stacks across which the first signature may be thus moved by the finger. Upon reaching the stage of operation just described, the finger 24 is next oscillated so as to be retracted until it again occupies the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 1.

The segmental cam 17 is so disposed that it will raise the arms 12 respectively just prior to the projecting of the finger 24 outwardly, and just prior to the approach of the signature at carried by the finger to the topmost signature a of the second stack A. The result in the first case is that the topmost section on the first stack, while still held in place by the outer presser bar 10, has its inner edge relieved from pressure so as not to interfere with the insertion of the finger. Similarly, the inner edge of the topmost signature on the second stack is relieved from pressure so as to allow the first signature to be inserted. To facilitate such insertion, it is found desirable to positively open the folded signature in this second stack, and with this object in view a second oscillatory blade or finger is provided, such finger being mounted about a pin 41 depending from the fixed plate 15 that forms a part of the machine frame. This finger is not directly pivotally attached to such pin, but is attached to an arm 42 about a transverse axis 47 so that the finger is capable of oscillation both in a horizontal and a vertical plane. The arm, and thus the finger, are normally positioned in a horizontal plane by means of a coil-spring 13 which tends to retain the arm against a stop 4% depending from the same plate, while a second spring 45, that connects the arm 42 and rear extension 18 of the finger 40 tends to retain the latter in its normal depressed position. The outer face of the segmental cam 17, however, is designed to engage the end of the arm and swing the same from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3, and there maintain the same until said cam has entirely passed. Such oscillation of the arm serves to swing the finger from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 8, or in other words to insert such finger, which is in the form of a very thin blade, between the topmost folded section or signature on the second stack. During the period of engagement of the arm by the cam, the rear extension 18 of the finger, which latter is oscillatory in a vertical plane as previously described, is engaged by an inclined rib 16 on the face of the cam 17 so as to depress such rear extension and thereby raise the finger proper against the spring 15, the finger being shown in such raised position in Fig. 7. The effect of this action is to open the folded signature so as to permit of the ready insertion of the signature carried by the first finger 2%.

Either in conjunction with such second finger, or. independently thereof, 1 may also utilize a suction device 50 shown in detail in Fig. 9, so disposed as to engage the inner forward corner of the topmost section on the second stack. As shown in Fig. 9, this device comprises simply a tube 51 open at its lower end and having a reciprocable piston 52 which is adapted to be raised by one and depressed by the other of two alined solenoids 53 and 54 which surrounds an armacollected sectionsy'the finger 24 being de signed to shift the topmost section-a in which the filler section a has been placed in the manner just described,-sufficiently to cause such collected section and filler to be engaged by the conveyer. 'From the con: veyer the collected sections may be deposited in a hopper 61 as-shown in the several figures of the drawings.

The general operation of my improved mechanismshould be evident from the foregoing description of the construction of its component parts and their individual operation. It will be seen that no parts of:a complicatedhature are involved, and all are furthermore readily accessible for adjustment, and such other attention as may be required. The machine is thusadapted particularly for use in newspaper oificesand the like, where hard service isain store for it. At the same time the same principle of operation may be advantageously used in ma chines designed for collecting or stacking signatures in regular pamphlet and bookprinting establishments.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change beingwmade as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, pro-- vided the means stated by=any of the following claims 9r theequivalentof such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly. point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1- 1. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of means for sup porting a stack of folded sheets, a second support, a member adapted to move a folded sheet from said stack to said second support, means for causing said member to enter between the folded portion of a sheet and move it to said second support, and means for thereafter'laterally withdrawing said member to disengage it from the, sheet.

2. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a support for a stack of folded sheets; a second support; a member mounted adjacent to said supports, and adapted to enter between the leaves of a sheet on such stack, said member being oscillatable thus into and out of'engagement with a sheet on such stack, and rotatable to transfer the engaged sheet to the second support; and means for simultaneously rotating and oscillating the member.

3. 1n mechanism of the character described, the combination of a support for a stack of folded sheets; a second support; a member mounted adjacent to said supports and adapted to enter between the leaves of a sheet on'such stack, said member being oscillatableabout one axis thus intoandout of engagement with a sheet on such stack,

androtatable about a second axis to transfer the engaged sheet to the second support; and means forsimultaneously rotating and oscillating the member.

4. In mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination of supportsfor a plurality of stacks -of-folded sheets, means for opening a folded sheet on one-stack, a member adapted to enter between the fold and transfer the sheet to another stack, means for laterally moving said member into and out of engagement with .a sheet, and means for moving said member for transferring the sheet.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of two supports each adapted to support a stack of folded sheets, a member for engaging and moving a sheetfrom one support to the other, means for swinging saidmember for effecting the transfer, and means'for moving said arm into andout of engagement with the sheet.

6. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of two supports each adapted to support a stack of folded sheets; means for opening a folded sheet on one stack; a member mounted adjacent to said supports and adapted to enter between the leaves of a sheet on either of said stacks, sa d member being oscillatable about one axis into-and out of engagement with a sheet on the other such stack, and rotatable about a second axis to transfer and insert the engaged'sheet 1n the open sheet on such first stack; and means for simultaneously rotating'and oscillating the member.

7. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a support for a stack of folded sheets; a support for a second stack of sheets; a rotatable support; a finger pivoted on said last-named support on anaxis parallel with its axis of rotation, said finger being adapted to enter between the leaves of and thus engage a sheet on eitherof said stacks; and means for rotating said last-named support and oscillating the finger on its pivotal axis.

8. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a support for a stack of folded sheets a support for a second stack of sheets; a rotatable support; a finger pivoted on said last-named support on an axis parallel with its axis of rotation, said finger being adapted to enter between the leaves of and thus engage a sheet on either of said stacks; a cam fixedly mounted adjacent to said last-named support; a lever pivoted to said last-named support and engaging said cam; and mechanism connecting the lever and finger to oscillate the latter upon oscillation of the former. I

9. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a substantially horizontal table adapted to carry a stack of folded sheets; of sheet opening means including a stationary support-laterally adjacent to said table; a finger mounted thereon so as to be oscillatory about a vertical and a horizontal axis; and means adapted to successively oscillate said finger about such axes in the order named.

10. In mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination with a substantially horizontal table adapted to carry a stack of folded sheets; of sheet opening means including a stationary support laterally adjacent to said table; a finger mounted thereon so as to be oscillatory about a vertical and a horizontal axis; means normally positioning said finger about such axes, respectively; and means adapted to successively oscillate said finger about such axes in the order named.

11. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a substantially iorizontal table adapted to carry a stack of folded sheets; of sheet opening means including a stationary support laterally adjacent to said table; an arm mounted thereon so as to be oscillatory about a vertical axis; a finger pivotally attached to said arm about a horizontal axis; and a movable cam adapted successively to engage said arm and finger andoscillate the same about such axes, respectively.

12. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a substantially horizontal table adapted to carry a stack' of folded sheets; of sheet opening means including a stationary support laterally adjacent to said table; an arm mounted thereon so as to be oscillatory about a vertical axis; a finger pivotally attached to said arm about a horizontal axis; springs normally positioning said arm and finger, respectively; and a rotatable cam having faces adapted successively to engage said arm and finger and oscillate the same about such axes, respectively.

13. In mechanism of the character described, the combination With two elevator tables respectively adapted to support a stack of folded sheets with the topmost sheet of each stack in approximately the same horizontal plane; a vertical rotary shaft adjacent to said tables; a pivoted finger eccentrically carried by said shaft so as to be oscillatory in the plane of such topmost sheets, said finger being adapted to engage and transfer a sheet from one stack to the other; means adapted to oscillate said finger as said shaft rotates; a relatively fixed support adjacent one of the tables; and a finger mounted thereon so as to be oscillatory about both a horizontal and a vertical axis, said last mentioned finger being adapted to enter between the folds of a sheet and open same for the purpose specified.

1%. In mechanism of the character described, the combination With two elevator tables respectively adapted; to support a stack of folded sheets with the topmost sheet of each stack in approximately the same horizontal plane; a vertical rotary shaft adj acent to said tables; a pivoted finger eccentrically carried by said shaft so as to be oscillatory in the plane of such topmost sheets, said finger being adapted to engage and transfer a sheet from one stack to the other; means adapted to oscillate said finger as said shaft rotates; a relatively fixed support adjacent one of the tables; a finger mounted thereon and adapted to enter between the folds of a sheet and open same for the reception of another sheet, said finger being oscillatory about both a horizontal and a vertical axis; and a segmental cam carried by said shaft and adapted successively to oscillate said finger about such axes in the order named.

15. In mechanism of the character described, the combination With tWo elevator tables respectively adapted to support a stack of folded sheets with the topmost sheet of each stack in approximately the same horizontal plane; a vertical rotary shaft adjacent to said tables; a pivoted finger eccentricallv carried by said shaft so as to be oscillatory in the plane of such topmost sheets, said finger being adapted to engage and transfer a sheet from one stack to the other; means adapted to oscillate said finger as said shaft rotates; a relativelv fixed support adjacent one of the tables; a ringer mounted thereon and adapted to enter between the folds of a sheet and open same for the reception of another sheet, said finger being oscillatory about both a horizontal and a vertical axis; means normally positioning said finger about such axes, respectively; and a segmental cam carried by said shaft and adapted successively to oscillate said finger about such axes in the order named.

Signed by me, this 5th day of May, 1914-.

JOSEPH O. THEBERATH.

Attested by- H. M. KATHE, D. S. DAVIES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

